Manually oscillatable and rotatable portable soot blower



Dec. 5, 1950 P. G. HANDOLL ET AL MANUALLY OSCILLATABLE AND ROTATABLE PORTABLE SOOT BLOWER Filed July 27, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 5, 1950 P G HANDOLL ET AL 2,532,447

MANUALUZ OSICILLATABLE AND ROTATABLE PORTABLE SOOT BLOWER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 27, 1944 i777 fin 1576.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 P. G. HANDOLL ET AL MANUALLY OSCILLATABLE AND ROTATABLE PORTABLE SOOT BLOWER Dec. 5, 1950 Filed July 27, 1944 i HM Patented Dec; 5, 1950 MANUALLY OSCILLATABLE AND ROTAT- ABLE PORTABLE SOOT BLOWER Percy G. Handoll and Philip R. Bettie, London, England, assignors to Diamond Power Specialty Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application July 27, 1944, Serial No. 546,831

Claims. (01. -316) This invention relates to boiler tube cleaners.

The main objects of this invention are to provide a boiler tube cleaner which may be moved about within certain desired limits to project the cleaning fluid on the tubes to be cleaned in a thorough and efiicient manner; to provide a cleaner of this character which is portable in nature and may be used successively in a plurality of desired locations, thereby effecting a substantial economy over constructions where a separate cleaner is installed at each of the desired locations; to provide a boiler tube cleaner .of this character which may be projected into the space occupied by the boiler tubes to be cleaned and withdrawal therefrom without disconnecting the unit from its mounting; to provide' a boiler tube cleaner which may be moved in both vertical and horizontal planes within desired prescribed limits and may be rotated while in any position so as to direct the projected cleaning fluid in any desired arc; and to provide a cleaner of this character which may be oscillated in a vertical plane by horizontal oscillation of an operating handle.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in

which Fig. l is a medial, vertical, longitudinal, sectional view taken through the preferred form of the device mounted in position in a furnace "view taken on the curved line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a reduced view in side elevation showing the cleaning tube depressed to its lowermost position in full lines and elevated to its uppermost position in broken lines;

Fig. 8 is a vertical, medial, longitudinal, sectional view of a modified form of the apparatus;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view taken on the line 9-43 of Fig. 8, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

j Fig. 10 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view taken on the line llili! of Fig. 8, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; and

Fig. 11 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view taken on the line I I-l l of Fig. 8, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

In the construction showninthe drawings, a

wall box I!) of generally hollow, frusto-conical shape is shown mounted in horizontal position in a furnace wall [2 as part of the permanent construction thereof, its inner and larger end terminating short of the inner side ll of the furnace wall. The smaller end of the wall box It) is surrounded by a radially-extending, generally rectangular flange l3 which is embedded within the furnace wallso that its outer face is flush with the outside surface id of the wall An L-shaped bracket mounting i4, having the vertically disposed portion of generally rectangular shape, as shown most clearly in Figs. 2 and 3, is rigidly secured to the flange i3 of the wall box it by four cap screws l6 whichpass therethrough and are threaded into the flange I3, a shim. plate It being interposed between the bracket I4 and the flange i3 for spacing the bracket away from the furnace wall. The plate [8 may be of insulating material for retarding the conduction of heat from the wall box it to the bracket [4.

The bracket plate 14 and shim plate t8 both have openingstherethrough concentric with the opening in the wall box I0, and means are provided for closing this opening when desired and comprises an elongated cover plate 25 hinged at one end on a cap screw 22 mounted in the bracket plate It and adapted to rotate thereabout as a pivot. The other endof the cover plate 2i! is hook shaped as shown at 23 to provide a notch 24 for embracing the shank of a stud 26 also mounted in the bracket plate I4, theshank of the stud 26 being shouldered so that the head of the stud is in spaced relation to the bracketplate for receiving the hooked end 23 therebeneath.

The lower end of the bracket plate 84 is provided with a horizontally-extending leg 28 pro- J'ecting outwardly from the furnace wall and which isbifurcated to form spaced parallel arms 39 and 32 which are adapted to receive therebetween the medial portion of a vertically-disposed post 34. The post 34 is principally of circular cross section and is provided with flats it at diametrically-opposite sides for making a snug sliding fit between the inner opposed faces of the arms 36 and 32, thus preventing rotation of the post 34 relative to the bracket.

A portion Of the post 34 immediately above that received between the arms 30 and 32 is threaded, asshown at. 38, to receive, pass through, and engage the base portfon of a yoke generally designated 4B. A set screw 41 is threaded through the yokebase so that its inner end engages the threaded portion 38 for preventing relative rotation. The yoke 40 has integrally-formed, spaced, parallel, upstanding arms 42 and 44. That portion of the post 34 below that having the fiat pjecting lug 66. b

a segment-shaped recess 68 formed by cutting tened sides 301s in the form of a cylindrical head 46 having-an axially-extending hole therethrough disposed at right angles to the axis of the post, for receiving the medial portion of a pin 48. The outer and opposite ends of the pin 48extend through spaced parallel lugs 50 and 52 integrally formed with a handle 54, thus forming a bifurcated end or head on the handle. The outer'ends of the lugs 50 and 52 are curved with respect to the axis of the pin 48 to form two 'cam surfaces which engage the under sides or lower faces of the arms 30 and 32 and, by cam action-clamp the yoke 40 in position on the bracket arm 28 when the cam handle 54 is rotated in the'app'ropriate direction, thus providing a readily detachable means for rigidly securing the yoke 40 in position on the bracket mounting I4.

The upper ends of the'yoke arms 42 and 44 are drilled and tapped in axial alignment to receive apair of headed studs 56 and 58, the inner ends 5! and 59, respectively, of which protrude beyond the inner surfacesof their respective yoke arms and extend into radially-extending sockets formed at diametricallyopposite sides of a bearing member '0, thus forming trunnions about the axis of which the bearing member 60 may be oscillated.

Thebearing member 60 is provided with a cy- Iindrical bore therethrough with an axis at right angles to the axis of the bearing trunnions 51 and 59 and slidably receives therethrough a fluid cleaner conducting tube 62. The tube 62 is surrounded by a-ring orcollar member 64 which is welded thereto and which carries a radially-pro- The lug 66 is positioned within away a segment from the inner side of a ring I0 which is removably clamped in an annular recess formed in the outer face of'the bracket plate I4 by a set screw 72. The end walls 14 andl'fi of the opening 68 are sloped as shown most clearly in-Fig. 6for limiting the movement of the lug 66 variably in accordance with the position 0f the ing 66 toward the inner or outer face of the ring I0.

The bearing 60 abuts against one axial face of the-collar 64 which is welded to the tube 62, and the other end of the bearing 60 is abutted by-a collar 18 adjustably'and removably secured on the=tube by a set screw 80, thus restraining axial 'movement of the tube '62 relative to the collar 60 while permitting limited. rotation therein as permitted by the lug 06 positioned between the end walls I4 and 16 of the recess 68.

Means are provided for oscillating the tube 62 in' a vertical plane and comprise a handle 82 having a circular head '84 integrally formed thereon which has an axial bore therethrough for-pivotal mounting -'on a vertically-disposed pin 88.v The pin "'86 is an integral extension'of'the threaded portion 38 of post 34. The upper surface: of the head 84 is provided with two circular cam surfaces 88 and 90, forming an inclined plane, which bear against the lower cylindrical, outer surface of the bearing member 6%} as shown most clearly in Fig. '4. The cams 88 and 90 are positioned to contact and bear against the bearing-60 at the opposite sides of the'axis passing through the trunnions 5'! and 59 of thestuds 56-and58 so that rotation of the cam member about-its pivotal mounting 86 will rockthe bearing 60in avertical'plane at right angles-to the axis of :the bearing trunnions;

The outer end of the :tube -62 'is provided with oppositely-extending handles 92. and 194 which are integrally formed on a cylindrical hub 96.

4 The hub 96 surrounds the tube 62, and'a pin 98 passes through an axially-extending sleeve portion of the hub 95 and through the walls of the tube 62 for rigidly holding the handles on the tube for manipulating the tube as hereinafter more fully explained. The handle unit is spaced inwardly from the end of the tube 62, and the extreme end is exterlorly threaded as shown at I00 for receiving a suitable cleaner fluid connection and is provided with a lock nut I02 as is customary in connections of this character.

The inner end of the tube 62 is exterlorly threaded. to receive a dome-shaped nozzle I04 having slots or openings I06 therein for directing the cleaning fluid in a fan-shaped spray extending radially and axially forward. The nozzle I 04lis fixed in position by a lock nut I08 in the usual manner.

In the modification shown in Figs. 8 to 11 inelusive, an L-shaped bracket IIO, with an interposed shim plate II2, is bolted to the flange I3 of wall box It in the same manner as described in connection with the preferred form, but the bracket differs slightly from that heretofore described, in that it does not have a recess in its face for receiving a control ring.

Bracket III] has horizontally-extending, spaced parallel arms H3 and H4 for snugly embracing the flattened sides IIB of a clamping post II8. A clamping handle I20 is pivotally mounted on a pin I22 in the same manner as heretofore described and has curved surfaces I24 which engage the under sides of the arms I I2 and I I4 for clamping the arms, by cam action, between those surfaces and a radially-extending annular flange I26 integrally formed on the post I I3 immediately above the flattened surfaces I I6 and of suflicient diameter to overlap and rest upon the top surfaces of the arms H2 and H4; Post H8 extends above the flange I26, but is reduced in diameter as shown at I28 to receive the base of a yoke I30. The yoke base is provided with an axially-extending pin I32 fixed in the lower surface thereof which protrudes downwardly into a cut-away re- 0685 I34 of the flange I 26 for limiting relative rotation between the yoke I30 and the flange I26.

The post I18 is again reduced in diameter at the top surface of the yoke base I30 and continues th'ereabove to form a cylindrical bearing I36 upon which is pivoted a cam head I38 having opposed circular cams integrally formed on its-top surface in the same manner and for the same function as the cam surfaces 88 and of the cam head 84. The cam head I38.is held to the top end of its mounting post by a washer I40 secured by a screw I42 'threadedaxially down into the top end of thepost.

A handle I44 is integrallyformed on the cam head I38 for conveniently rotating the cam on its pivot mounting, and the underside of the'hanolle adjacent its inner pivoted end is provided with a horizontally-extending bore I45 in which is mounted a plunger I48 and a helical compression spring I50 for normally urging the head end of the plunger outwardl and into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the yoke base I30. The surface of the yoke base I36, adjacent the plunger I48, is provided with a plurality of spaced, axially-extending grooves I52, and the adjacent abutting end of the plunger I48 is conical in shape for engagement in the grooves, the engag ing surfaces being of such shape that the plunger is retracted by camming action when sufiicien't force is exerted for relative rotation between the handle I44 and theyoke I 30.

As in the preferred form, a bearing member I54, having a cylindrical bore therethrough for receiving a cleaning fluid tube I56, is journaled in trunnions carried by upstanding yoke arms of the yoke base I36. A collar I58 is welded tothe tube I56 to abut one side of the bearing I54, and a: collar I69 is adjustably secured in position by set screw I62 to abut the opposite side.

The bearing I54, at its top side, is radially drilled and tapped to receive a thumb screw I64 which has a reduced inner end I66 adapted to fit within a circumferentially-extending groove I68 formed in the outer peripheral surface of the tube I56. The groove I68 extends only partially around the tube and thus limits the degree of relative rotation. At one point the bottom of the groove I68 is drilled out to provide a socket for receiving the end I66 when the thumb screw I64 is screwed all the way in, thus clamping the tube I56 against rotation. By withdrawing the end I66 from its socket but permitting it toextend within the slot I68, the tube is permitted to have limited rotation within the confines of the slot while preventing axial movement thereof. A lock nut I18 is provided on thethumb screw I64 for securing the thumb screw in desired adjusted position.

Means are rovided for positioning the tube I56 further within the confines of the furnace and comprises a second circumferentially-extending slot I12 with a socket I14 adaptedto receive the end I66 of the thumb screw I64. When the tube is desired to beplaced in this position, the set screw I62 is released and the collar I68 is slid rearwardly past the slot I12, thus permitting the tube I56 to be slid axially through the bearing I54 until the slot I12 is in registry with the reduced end I66 of thumb screw I64.

Means are provided formanipulating the tube I56 in the same manner'as that shown in the preferred form and comprises a handle I16 of the same character as the handles 92 and 94 and which is secured to the tube in the same mannelft as by a pin I18. The inner end of the tube I56 is also provided with a nozzle member I88 having discharge slots I82 and held in position by a lock nut I84 in: the same manner as the preferred form.

In the operation of the construction shown in Figs. 1 to '1 inclusive, it will be understood that different wall boxes III, positioned at the various desired oints about the furnace, are fitted with different limit rings 18, each of which may have a different segmental opening 68 cut -therefrom so as to variably restrict or limit the amount of axial rotation of the cleaner tube 62 for that particular location.

When it is desired to clean through a certain opening, the cover plate 28 is rotated in a clockwise direction about its pivot 22 to the position shown in Fig. 2. Thereupon, the portable unit, comprising the tube 62 and its accompanying clamping mechanism, is placed in position on a mounting bracket, with the post 34 having the flat sides 36, embraced between the arms 38 and 32. The clamping handle 54 is then rotated downwardly in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, thus causing the post to be rigidly clamped to the bracket I4 by camming action of the bifurcated end of the clamping handle 54 against the undersides of the arms 38 and 32. Cleaning fluid is then introduced into the tube 62 under pressure and the handle 82 oscillated from side to side.

This movement of the handle 82 causes the circular cams 88*and 98 to rock the bearing 60 in a vertical plane through an arc, for instance, of 7 above horizontal to 7 /2 below horizontal. At the same time, or successively, the handles 92 and 94 are grasped by the operator and the tube 62 rotated about its longitudinal axis, the amount of such rotation being limited by the lug 66 striking against opposite sides of the cut-away segmental opening 68. It will be noted that the opposite sides 14 and 16 of the opening 68 are converged inwardly, so that as the tube 62 has its nozzle end depressed, the lug 66 will move forwardly from the position shown in Fig. 6 and thereby be restricted to a smaller arc of rotation. Likewise, when the nozzle end of the tube 62 is elevated, such as to the position shown in broken lines in Fig. 7, the lug 66 will be rocked outwardly toward the front face of the ring 16 and thereby be permitted to have a greater amount of rotation. This feature of variable amount of rotation of the cleaning tube 62 is desirable, as it has been found that as the tube is depressed below horizontal, the streams issuing from the'orifices I06 cover a greater area than when the nozzle end of the tube is elevatedi By thus varying the amount of the rotation of the tube, a substantially uniform field is covered by the fluid issuing from the orificesyIOB regardless of the position in which the nozzle is placed.

After the boiler tubes are cleaned through one of the wall boxes I6, the cleaning unit is unclamped from its mounting bracket by raising the handle 54 to the position shown in Fig. 7 and withdrawing the tube from the wall box. Thereupon, the cover plate 26 is rotated in anticlockwise direction to engage the hooked end 23 and notch 24 back of the stud head 26 and around the shank of the stud.

In the operation of the constructions shown in Figs. 8 to 11 inclusive, the cleaner tube unit is clamped to thebracket III) in the same manner as described with respect'to the preferred embodiment. In'this construction, however, the cleaner tube I56 has limited oscillation in a horizontalplane, as determined by the stud I32 abutting the end walls of the notch I34, as shown in Fig. 9. With the cleaning tube i56 restrained from horizontal oscillation by grasping the handle I16,.horizontal movement of the handle I44 is normally limited to the arc determined by the pin I32 in its notch I34. Horizontal movement of the camming handle I44 will, of course, rock the cleaning tube I56 in a vertical plane due to the circular cams formed on the upper surface of the cam head I36 engaging the undersides of the tube bearing I54 in the same manner as described with respect to the preferred embodiment. V r

The particular horizontal position of the vertical plane in which the cleaning tube is oscillated may be varied by grasping-the handle I44 and restraining horizontal movement of the tube I56 while exerting enough pressure to compress the spring I50 to permit the plunger, or detent, I48 to be cammed out of its then engaging notch into another notch I52. When engaged in another notch, the handle I44 is again oscillated in a horizontal plane within the limits determined.

by the pin I32 and notch I34, and thus the nozzle I88 is oscillated in a vertical plane horizontally spaced from the vertical plane in which it was formerly oscillated.

During this vertical oscillation of the tube I56,

the tube may lac-rotated about its longitudinal 

